### Seized Documents Reveal Hamas's Ambitious Plans for Devastating Attacks on Israel

Recent discoveries by Israeli forces in Gaza have unveiled extensive plans by Hamas for a series of deadly assaults on Israel, including a potential 9/11-style attack aimed at collapsing a Tel Aviv skyscraper. This revelation, derived from thousands of documents and electronic records recovered from Hamas command centers, indicates efforts to involve Iran in their destructive agenda.

Among the seized materials are detailed presentations illustrating Hamas's intended multilayered assaults on Israel, incorporating unconventional methods such as attacks via trains, boats, and even horse-drawn chariots. Some of these plans, however, were deemed impractical by terrorism experts.

The extensive cache includes a significant annotated and illustrated presentation outlining various attack strategies and a series of correspondence from Hamas to Iran's highest leadership in 2021, requesting substantial financial and military support. These communications aimed at garnering hundreds of millions of dollars and training for an additional 12,000 Hamas fighters. Israeli officials interpret these requests as part of Hamas's larger strategy to lure Iran into an open confrontation with Israel—an approach Tehran has generally avoided.

Israeli authorities began publicizing these documents amid considerations of a potential retaliatory strike after Iran launched over 180 ballistic missiles against Israel on October 1. This aggressive act followed the killing of Hasan Nasrallah, the leader of Lebanon’s Hezbollah, by Israeli forces on September 27.

One of the Israeli security officials, who reviewed the documents, emphasized that Hamas's relentless pursuit to eliminate Israel and its Jewish populace successfully ensnared Iran in direct conflict, despite Iran's unreadiness. This attack plan, orchestrated by Yahya Sinwar and other Hamas leaders, signifies the deadliest assault on Jewish civilians since World War II, resulting in over 1,200 deaths and 250 hostages.

In 2021, Hamas's Gaza leader, Yahya Sinwar, fervently appealed to senior Iranian officials, including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, for the necessary support, promising to obliterate Israel within two years. Despite these ambitious declarations, the reaction from Iran remains unclear.

The disclosed documents provide a granular look at Hamas's intricate plans, comprising attack scenarios ranging from military bases to shopping malls, supported by a robust database of over 17,000 images. This comprehensive plan, drafted in a 36-page computer slide presentation unearthed in November, also entertained the possibility of using the rail system and modified vehicles for their devastating intentions.

Though Iran’s direct involvement after the October 7 attack remains unconfirmed, the ongoing conflict has seen escalating hostilities involving Hezbollah and IDF strikes across Lebanon, Syria, and Yemen. The death toll reported by Gaza Health Ministry has surpassed 42,000, predominantly women and children, with an additional 2,000 fatalities in Lebanon.

Despite skepticism about the documents' authenticity, the contents align with intelligence assessments from the U.S. and its allies regarding Hamas's long-term strategies and complex dynamics with Iran. Both U.S. and Israeli officials have reviewed the documents, acknowledging their significance and implications for regional stability.